


Open Wounds

by Hibari1_san



Series: SportsFest 2020 : Bonus Round 3 [10]
Category: Free!
Genre: Angst and Feels, Australia, Canon Compliant, Dogs, Established Relationship, M/M, Pining, Post-Canon, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:21:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26311060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hibari1_san/pseuds/Hibari1_san
Summary: "Prompt:"Je saigne encore" (I'm still bleeding) - Kyo"
Relationships: Matsuoka Rin & Yamazaki Sousuke, Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka
Series: SportsFest 2020 : Bonus Round 3 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1911631
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: SportsFest 2020





	Open Wounds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lollipop_Panda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lollipop_Panda/gifts).



> Inspired by the beautiful French lyrics. I didn't want to make it that sad, the song told me to.

The taxi pulled out in front of a nice two-story house with blue shutters, a porch where a rocker made of wicker was swinging softly, and a red letterbox. A white fence enclosed the mowed yard around the building, perfecting this vision straight out of a movie.  
  
The driver announced the total and Sōsuke slid him a bill.  
  
“Keep the change.”  
  
He got out of the vehicule slowly and stood still as the it disappeared on the horizon. He really didn’t want to come here, but he had promised Rin that he would have dinner at their house if he didn’t come get him at the airport.  
  
He squeezed the handles of his bag full of Japanese souvenirs that the couple have been missing. From the pavement, he could notice other details, like the plate in Japanese that read Nanase on the side of the front door, probably a wedding gift from a family member, the faint sounds of kitchenware, a sweet smell coming from the house, and the cold wind biting harder as the sun set.  
  
He shivered, and, taking it as a divine intervention, he made his way to the entrance door. As soon as he had passed the fence, a loud bark resonated from behind the house and a golden retriever came running to him, tail wagging. He let it sniff him then his bag, pleasantly surprised. He held his palm out for it to get familiar before attempting to pet and the animal welcomed the affection happily.  
  
“Hello, you.”  
  
The dog reacted. He could only imagine that its owners had taught it tricks in Japanese and wasted no time in testing his theory.  
  
“Sit.”  
  
The dog executed the order obediently, looking at him expectantly. He laughed, and rewarded him with kisses and pets.  
  
“If you don’t stop spoiling him like that he’ll want to go back to Japan with you.”  
  
Heart racing, he lifted his head in direction of the voice. On the porch stood Rin, smiling. Sweet, beautiful, talented Rin. The dog had left him to seek attention from his owner, and Sōsuke took this opportunity to observe the man. He looked even better than he remembered. His skin was slightly tanned as it was expected considering the Australian climate, and his shoulder had gotten broader since he had been focusing on his butterfly.  
  
The last time he had seen him had been before his transfer to Melbourne, some three years ago. He had left with his boyfriend who was also been scouted by the team. Rin had constantly been inviting him over, missing his best friend, but Sōsuke had been reluctant to come. Knowing that him and Haruka were a couple was one thing, but seeing it was something else entirely. He hadn’t been ready to see them all domestic like that. And then, the wedding invitation had come. It hadn’t taken him by surprise. He had been informed by one the grooms himself during an impromptu phone call at some ungodly hour despite the one hour difference only between Tōkyō and Melbourne. It had still hit him hard. His unrequited love since primary school was getting married. Thankfully, the circumstances of the call had excused his weird reaction, and the day after, he had sent a lengthy congratulatory message that had torn his heart out to write. But the warm response he had gotten in return had made it worth it. Rin always made everything worth it.  
  
He had almost come to the wedding. It would have killed him to assist to it. But it would have made Rin so happy. He had sat at the airport, in front of the gates as the plane took off. He had gone home and made up some medical emergency. Of course, Rin had been an absolute sweetheart about it, which had made the guilt that much heavier in his chest.  
  
He couldn’t avoid his best friend forever though. He missed him too, after all. He looked at him chuckling. God, he had missed this man.  
  
He approached the pair and smiled.  
  
“Hey, Rin. It’s been awhile.”  
  
“And whose fault is that ?”  
  
He felt a pang in his chest.  
  
“I’m joking, I know you’ve been busy, but I’ve missed you ! I was almost ready to buy you your plane tickets, you know ? And I still haven’t forgiven you for booking a hotel when I told you we had a guest room.”  
  
His stomach dropped as he thought about the reason and he gulped down the lump in his throat before answering with a slight strain in his voice that went completely unnoticed by the oblivious man who had turned to open the front door.  
  
“What are you talking about ? I wasn’t gonna intrude on a newlywed couple ! _Nanase_ Rin.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading ! I hope you enjoyed :3
> 
> This fic is crossposted on Dreamwidth.


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